Lab 1: Laboratory Safety and Measurement Tools

Week of September 2, 2013

Pre Lab:
Normally you will have prep work to complete before coming to lab. But since this is the first
week of lab we only expect that you read the Safety Guidelines and the Lab procedures ahead of
time. Next week you will have an assignment to turn in to your instructor at the beginning of
your Lab/recitation section.

Reference
The attached Appendix includes tables of metric units and of equivalences between English and
metric units.

Objectives
1. Become familiar with the Laboratory Safety Guidelines.
2. Identify the metric units used to measure length, mass, liquid volume and temperature.
3. Name all of the prefixes and symbols listed on p. 2, state what they mean, and be able to
use them.
4. Be able to convert a measurement from one metric unit to another without consulting a
list of definitions.
5. Be able to use metric-measuring tools correctly.
6. Be able to estimate the metric equivalent of a measurement in English units.
7. State the formulas that relate Fahrenheit and Celsius temperature scales and be able to
convert a temperature reading from one scale to the other.

Laboratory Safety Guidelines

Biology 121/124
1. For your safety, if you have any medical or other conditions that might necessitate special
precautions in the laboratory, please inform your lab instructor as soon as possible.
2. Please store all personal materials (backpacks, coats, purses, messenger bags, etc.) in the coat
rack area. Bags with straps are tripping hazards and can cause spills and glass breakage if
they are left underfoot or on the bench tops. The only items on the bench tops should be
those with which you are actively working.
3. Closed-toe shoes and appropriate, protective clothing must be worn in the laboratory. (In
other words, no flip-flops, no short shorts etc.) Long hair may need to be tied back at times.
You will be asked to leave the lab (and therefore lose points) if you are not dressed
appropriately. On nice days, if you are wearing sandals or flip-flops, remember to pack a
pair of appropriate shoes to wear in lab.
4. For your safety, do not eat, drink (including water), smoke or apply cosmetics in the
laboratory. This is a Syracuse University policy in accordance with regulations set forth by
the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). SU and the Biology
Department can be fined heavily for every infraction against this regulation, and we will
firmly enforce this policy.
5. Familiarize yourself with the locations and/or uses of exits, evacuation and safety procedures,
fire extinguisher, eyewash station, and safety shower.
Evacuation: turn left when you leave the lab and proceed down the hall and out of the
building. Assemble with your section outside.
6. Report all spills and accidents to your instructor immediately.
7. Do not pick up broken glassware with your hands. Use a broom and dustpan and dispose in
the designated glass disposal container near the sink.
8. Students must follow all instructor specified safety procedures.
9. It is probably a good idea to wash your hands after lab.
10. Please be mindful of your behavior in lab. Carelessness can be dangerous not only to you,
but also to others.
11. Please clean up after yourself. Return all glassware, reagents, microscope slides, and
specimens to their proper places. Wipe down your bench before leaving.

Laboratory Safety and Measurement Tools

Measurement Tools
Units of measure in the metric system:
The metric system is part of the Systme Internationale (S.I.), the standard international system
of measurement in science. The United States is alone among so-called developed nations in not
adopting metric units for everyday measurements.
There are nine basic S.I. units for measuring different kinds of quantities (time, space, mass,
electric current, and others), plus many other units derived from them. The units we use include
both basic and derived units: the meter (m) to measure length1, the gram (g) to measure weight2,
the liter (L) to measure liquid volume, and the degree Celsius (C) to measure temperature. The
other units we use are named by attaching a prefix to one of the units named above; the prefix
designates either a multiple or a fraction of the basic unit. All of them are related to each other by
multiples of 10. The most commonly used prefixes are listed in the table below.
Name and
Symbol

Meaning

giga- (G)
mega- (M)
kilo- (k)

billion
million
thousand

Relative Value to Base Unit

as decimal
as power of 10
1,000,000,000.
1,000,000.
1,000.

109
106
103

1.

100

basic units: liter (L), meter (m), gram (g)

centi- (c)
milli- (m)
micro- ()
nano- (n)

hundredth
thousandth
millionth
billionth

.01
.001
.000001
.000000001

10-2
10-3
10-6
10-9

With water, the units of length, weight and volume are also related to each other:
1 mL = 1 g = 1 cm3 (cc)
Construction of Names
Units that are larger or smaller than the basic unit are named by attaching a prefix to the
name of the basic unit. The same set of prefixes is used for all of the basic units.
Example: one thousand meters
(1000 m) is the same as 1 kilometer (1 km)
Example: one hundredth of a gram (0.01 g) is the same as 1 centigram (1 cg)
Example: one thousandth of a liter (0.001 L) is the same as 1 milliliter (1 mL)

The meter is the only one of these units that is an S.I. basic unit. All of the others are derived from related S.I. units and are
more useful for ordinary purposes than the basic S.I. units.
2
The gram is technically a unit of mass rather than weight. Mass is the amount of matter; weight takes into account the effect of
gravity on mass. Mass is equivalent to weight as long as were talking about objects on Earth, where the force of gravity is 1.

Laboratory Safety and Measurement Tools

Converting Measurements from One Metric Unit to Another:

Since all of the multiples and fractions of a unit are related to each other by powers of 10,
conversion from one unit to another can be done by simply multiplying or dividing by the
appropriate factor of 10--- most easily accomplished by simply moving the decimal point. You
do not have to use calculators or long division/multiplication when converting measurements
within the same metric scale (and you will not be able to use calculators on the exam!).
1) Which direction should you move the decimal point?
Whether you move the decimal point to the left or right depends on which unit is larger: the one
you are starting with, or the one you want to end up with. It takes many small units to equal one
large unit (just like it takes many pennies to equal one dollar), so the operation you perform must
be one that will give you a larger number of the small units than of the large units.
Here is an easy way to remember how to move the decimal:
multiply

divide

Bigger unit to Smaller unit --- move decimal right (multiply by power of 10)
Smaller unit to Bigger unit --- move decimal left (divide by power of 10)
Example: 1.0 km = ______ m
How to approach this:
- recognize you are converting from a big to a smaller unit (B S), meaning your
decimal must move to the right
2) How many places do you move the decimal?
Once you have determined which way to move the decimal, use the chart on p.2 to determine
how many decimal places to move. First, find your starting point. In the example above, you are
starting with kilometers (km). Second, find out how many powers of 10 away your desired
unit is from the one you started with. In the example, meters (m) are 3 powers of 10 away from
kilometers (km). Therefore, we should move our decimal place 3 spacesand we will move it
to the right because we are converting from a big to a smaller unit.
Solution: 1.000 km = 1000. m

Laboratory Safety and Measurement Tools

A. To convert from a larger unit to a smaller unit, move the decimal point to the right. This is
the same idea as multiplying by the proper power of 10. One large unit equals many small units,
so the answer must be a bigger number of units.
2.5 km = ______ m
Method 1: Move the decimal point
*Are you going from B S or from S B? ______________
*Therefore, do you move the decimal to the right or left? _____________
*How many decimal places are between a meter and a kilometer? ________
= 2500. m
Method 2: Cross Multiply with conversion factors
2.5 km * 1000 m
1 km

2.5 km * 1000 m

2500. m

1 km

B. To convert from a smaller unit to a larger unit, move the decimal point to the left. This is
the same idea as dividing by the proper power of 10. It takes many small units to equal one large
unit, so the answer must be a smaller number of units.
1.0 L = 0.000001 L
What if your conversion asks you to go from one side of the base unit to another?
Problem: Convert 53 kg to mg.
Whether you simply move the decimal or cross multiply, always take such questions
in two steps. First convert your starting units to the base unit and then convert to the unit
needed for your answer.
Solution: 53 kg = 53,000. g = 53,000,000. mg
There is another way to approach conversion factors using exponents if you prefer:
Method 3: Subtract the exponent of the smaller unit from the larger unit
kg (larger unit; kg = 103 g) MINUS mg (smaller unit; mg = 10-3 g)
subtract: 3 - (-3) = 3+3 = 6 decimal places
Again, 53 kg = 53,000,000 mg

Laboratory Safety and Measurement Tools

Lets Practice! Without using a calculator, answer the following questions. The first set is
simply asking you to multiply and divide by powers of 10. The second set requires you to
combine this basic math skill with the SI chart to help you convert from one metric unit to
another. When you are finished, first check your answers with those at your lab table to see if
you are in agreement. Take the time to help those members of your group that might need
assistance. Once you feel you have the right answers as a table, have your instructor check your
answers.

1) 137 x 100 = ______________

6) 1.732 10 = _______________

2) 137 100 = ______________

7) 1.04 x 100 = _______________

3) 29.7 x 10 = _______________

8) 1.04 100 = _______________

4) 29.7 10 = ________________

9) 23.24 x 1000 = ______________

5) 1.732 x 10 = _______________

10) 23.24 1000 = _____________

11) 75 mg = ________________ kg
12) 0.003 g = _______________ mg
13) 17 L = ________________ mL
14) 1.73 nm = _______________ m (a single m is meter mm is millimeter)
15) 0.24 L = ________________ nL
16) Which is larger? 56.0 mg or

0.04 g

__________________

17) 1.0 cm = ________________ mm = __________________ m

18) 7.5 cm = ________________ mm = __________________ m

Laboratory Safety and Measurement Tools

Making Measurements in Metric Units:

REMEMBER: A measurement always has two parts: (1) a number and (2) the units in which
the measurement was made. If the units are not given, the measurement is meaningless.
Materials (per table)
graduated cylinder (100mL)
150 mL beaker
150 mL Erlenmeyer flask
4 small metric/English rulers
meter stick
5 leaves
transfer pipette
Work as a group unless you are specifically instructed to make measurements individually, and
be sure that all of you have an opportunity to make measurements and to learn to use the
measuring tools provided.
Part 1- MEASURING LENGTH
Obtain one of the small plastic rulers. Notice that the ruler has metric units on one edge and
English units (inches) on the other edge. On the metric edge, the numbered lines are centimeters
(cm) and the small divisions are millimeters (mm).
According to your ruler, how many millimeters are there in one centimeter? 1 cm = ______ mm
According to your ruler, how many centimeters are there in an inch?
1 inch = ______ cm
Therefore, how many millimeters are there in an inch (just convert!)?
1 inch = ______ mm
Leaf Exercise. Obtain 5 leaves for your lab table. Each person at your table should use their
own small ruler to measure the width (cm, round to decimal place) of each of the five leaves at
your table. Do this separately, without consulting with one another about how you are
measuring. Create a data table in the space below to record your results. Leave room to
also write in the results of each of your lab partners for leaves 1-5. You should use a ruler to
create your table (rows, columns). Make sure it is well labeled (What information is being
recorded? Units of measurement?)

Laboratory Safety and Measurement Tools

Take a look at your measurements for leaves 1-5. They are all the same type of leaf from the
same plant. Did you obtain identical measurements for each of their widths? If not, the
differences could be due to individual variation in the leaves. Individual variation is the real
differences between different samples of the same kind (ex: different maple leaves from the same
branch).
Now take a look at how each member of your table measured leaf #3. Did you each come up
with exactly the same width? __________. Ideally you should because after all, it is the same
leaf and its width is not changing. If your measurements among people are not the same, the
differences are due to measurement error. Measurement error refers to differences in
measurement of the same object, whether it is repetitive measurements by the same person or
measurements made by different people (or different instruments). Measurement error is also
sometimes referred to as human error. Human error must be eliminated as much as possible in
order to be able to see how much individual variation there is.
Give three specific sources of measurement error that occurred (or might have occurred) when
measuring the leaves at your table. Simply saying Human error is not an acceptable answer.
Be specific in the errors that could have occurred.
1. ____________________________________________________________________
2. ____________________________________________________________________
3. ____________________________________________________________________

Comparing averages to single measurements. Calculate the average measured width of leaf 1,
leaf 2, leaf 3, leaf 4, and leaf 5. Round off your calculations to one decimal place and record
these values in your data table on the previous page. Compare the average leaf width with those
made by the individual members of your group.
Reporting average values is one way scientists can try to reduce both the amount of individual
variation and measurement error when reporting data to the public. Typically, scientists would
do some statistics and not only report the average value, but the range outside of this average that
samples could span (often reported as + standard deviation values).

Laboratory Safety and Measurement Tools

In the spaces below, explain the importance of reporting both average values and the original
data set range for the following scenarios and the type of error or individual variation this
addresses.
Fertilizer is expensive, and tricky to use. You dont want to use too much or too little. A farmer
measures his/her field 2 or 3 times before ordering the right amount of fertilizer (based on area).
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
Loons are aquatic birds, kind of a bit like ducks. Lets say a conservation biologist wants to keep
track of individuals in a few populations of loons using tags made of metal bands that are put on
the loons like bracelets. So, she starts by measuring the leg circumference of individuals in a
sample population of loons before ordering metal banding tags.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Matching the tool to the scale of the object to be measured:

Failing to match the measurement tool to the scale of the object measured is a common source of
measurement error in science. To help exaggerate this point and to give you more practice
measuring starting with the 1 cm line, use one of the small plastic rulers to measure the length
(long dimension) of your lab table. ________cm = _______mm. Now use one of the larger
meter sticks to again measure the length of the lab table. ________cm = _________mm.
Do your two measurements agree? Why is the meter stick a more appropriate tool to use for this
type of measurement exercise? Do not simply say because its longer or because you move it
less. Specifically what was the source of error that was removed by using the meter stick?
____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________

Laboratory Safety and Measurement Tools

Part 2- MEASURING VOLUME

Put some water in your graduated cylinder and look at
it from the side. Note that the surface of the water is
not flatit sags in the middle. This curved surface is a
meniscus (from the Greek word for moon crescent,
because it is crescent-shaped).
To read the volume of water accurately, look at it
from the side so youre looking directly at the
meniscus, and read (or estimate) the measurement at
the bottom of the meniscus. Lower yourself to
become eye-level with the meniscus to take a reading
instead of lifting up the graduated cylinder (think
about why).

How much water would you say is in the cylinder in the image above? _________mL
(Be careful of the increments! The pictured cylinder might have different increments than the glassware we are
using in the lab today. It is always wise to pay attention to the specific increments of the tool you are using.)

Now add some water to a beaker. Lower yourself so you are eye-level with the water line and
again look for a meniscus. Do you see as distinct of a crescent or u shape to the meniscus?
The graduated cylinder is a useful tool for measuring liquid because a narrow column of fluid
can be measured more accurately than a wide one. There is less surface area comprising your
water line, so more of your fluid volume is below the meniscus, thus giving you a more accurate
representation of the true fluid volume inside the container.

Practice. Fill your graduated cylinder with 47 mL of water. Use your transfer pipette to adjust
the volume so it is as accurate as possible. Ask your instructor to come around to check your
results.

Laboratory Safety and Measurement Tools

10

Part 3- MEASURING WEIGHT/MASS

The electronic scale weighs in several different units, indicated on the right side of the display.
Plug in the scale, turn it on, and note the units in which it is set to measure. Press the Cal Mode
button to change the units if necessary so it is weighing in grams (g) before you continue.
Weight of solids and liquids: In the space below or on another sheet of paper, create a data
table to record the following. You need to use a ruler, label your rows and columns, and indicate
the units of measurement used.
-dry weight of a graduated cylinder, Erlenmeyer flask, and beaker
-weight of each container when filled to that containers 50mL line
-calculation for just the weight of the 50mL of water in each container (write the
calculation in your column label)

BEFORE YOU DO THIS answer the following:

- How much do you predict 50mL of water will weigh in grams? __________
(There is no right or wrong answer here. This is just your prediction! Take a guess.)

-Which container do you feel will be most accurate at measuring 50mL of water? Why?
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Was your prediction supported by your results? ___________
Your results most likely contain some measurement error. The estimated weights of 50mL of
water in each container is probably just above or below the ideal weight. See if you can figure it
out. Ideally, without measurement error, 50 mL water will always weigh _______ grams.
So, 1 mL of water = _______ gram which is also equivalent to 1 cc (cubic centimeter).
Using what you just learned, 137 grams of water would take up a volume of ________ mL.

Measurement Tools

11

Part 4- TEMPERATURE
In the United States, temperature is measured on the Fahrenheit scale. In most of the rest of the
world, it is measured on the Celsius scale (formerly known as the centigrade scale). A
temperature in either Celsius or Fahrenheit degrees is indicated by the degrees symbol (),
followed immediately by either C or F (no spaces).
On the Fahrenheit scale:
0F
temperature of a mixture of water, ice, and saltthe coldest temperature that
could be produced in the 18th century, when the scale was devised.
32F freezing point of water (0C)
212F boiling point of water (100C)
There are 180 degrees Fahrenheit for the same temperature difference (freezing point to boiling
point) that is represented by 100 degrees Celsius. Since 100 degrees Celsius equals 180 degrees
Fahrenheit, 1C = 1.8F. Conversion between the two also requires taking account of the extra
32 degrees on the Fahrenheit scale between 0 and the freezing point of water.
The conversion formulas are as follows, in a form suitable for calculators3: The answers are
already worked out, but read through them so you understand where the values are being plugged
into the equation.
To convert a Fahrenheit temperature to a Celsius temperature: C = (F-32)1.8
Example:

212F = ______ C

use the formula: C = (F-32)1.8

= (212-32) 1.8
= 1801.8
= 100C

To convert a Celsius temperature to a Fahrenheit temperature: F = (1.8 xC) + 32

Example: 100C = _______F
use the formula: F = (1.8 x C) + 32
= (1.8 x 100) + 32
= 180+32
= 212F
Normal body temperature is reported as 98.6F. What is this in Celsius? _________________

When its 13C in Canada what is the temperature in F? ___________________

The formulas are more commonly given in the following forms, which are harder to apply to a calculator:
C = 5/9(F-32), F = (9/5C)+32

Measurement Tools

12

Appendix
Review of multiplication and division by powers of 10 in the decimal system
Starting from the decimal, each place to the right is one-tenth as much as the place before it:
tenths, hundredths, thousandths, etc.
Starting from the decimal, each place to the left is ten times as much as the place before it:
ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, etc.
Moving the decimal point to the right in a decimal number is multiplication.
Each place the decimal point is moved multiplies the number by 10it makes each digit worth
ten times as much as it was before.
If you start with

1234.56 and move the decimal point one place to the right, you get
12345.6

If you start with

.1234
1.234

and move the decimal point one place to the right, you get

Moving the decimal point to the left is division.

Each place the decimal point is moved divides the number by 10it makes each digit worth onetenth as much as it was before.
If you start with

1234.56 and move the decimal point one place to the left, you get
123.456

If you start with

.1234 and move the decimal point one place to the left, you get
.01234

To multiply or divide by 10 (or any multiple of ten), move the decimal point the same number
of places as the number of zeroes in the number you want to multiply or divide by.
Ex. To multiply or divide by 100, move the decimal point 2 places.
To multiply or divide by 10,000, move the decimal point 4 places.
Sample problems:
Multiply 13 by 100.
There are two zeroes in 100, so the decimal point is moved 2 places to the right:
13. x 100 = 1300.
Multiply 23.4 by 10
There is one zero in 10, so the decimal point is moved 1 place to the right:
23.4 x 10 = 234.
Divide 13 by 100.
The decimal point is moved 2 places to the left:

Measurement Tools

13 100 = .13

13

Discussion Questions Week 1

Directions: Before you begin, if you havent done so already, introduce yourself to the people
sitting at your table. Work together with the students at your table to answer the following
questions.
1. Why is it important to have a standardized system of measurement?
2. What is science?
3. How do we do science?
4. What is a hypothesis?
5. What is a theory?
6. How would you go about setting up an experimentwhat are the components of an
experiment?
Define:
a. Independent Variableb. Dependent Variable
c. Control
Poster Activity: Your TA will assign you and a partner a poster. For the assigned poster
answer the following questions:
What question is being addressed?
What is the hypothesis?
What was measured?
Identify the Independent and Dependent variables.
Is there a control?
What were the Results of the experiment?
Was the hypothesis supported?

Measurement Tools

14